The present invention relates generally to improvements in cameras equipped with flash devices, and it relates more particularly to an improved camera having a self-contained flash unit transferrable between retracted and extended positions.
In a camera equipped with a flash device, if an attempt is made to reduce the volume of the camera to a compact size, then the light-emitting portion of the flash device must be positioned in the close vicinity of the objective lens of the camera.
However, it is well known that when flash photography is performed with the light emitting portion of the flash device being positioned close to the objective lens, there then occurs the so called "red-eye" phenomenon, in which the eyes of a person being photographed are red in the resulting picture.
Many attempts have been proposed to prevent the "red-eye" phenomenon. A simple practice among these is that the light emitting portion of the flash device is spaced at least a given distance from the objective lens of the camera for preventing the "red-eye" phenomenon. The structure employed includes the so called pop-up system, in which a flash device is provided in a manner to be retracted into or extended out beyond the contour of the camera body, and thus the flash device is brought from its retracted position within the camera to its extended position upon taking a flash photograph, so that the light emitting portion of the flash device may be operated in as far a position from the objective lens of the camera as possible.
The pop-up system may be classified into two types, i.e., one in which the flash device including the light emitting portion is exposed out of the contour of the camera at its front, even in the case where the flash device assumes its extended position, and another in which the flash device including the light emitting portion may be completely retracted within the contour of a camera. From the viewpoint of the projection of the flash device, particularly the protection of its light emitting portion, the latter is superior to the former. However, the latter poses the problems that a large space is required for the flash device, as well as for its extending mechanism relative to the volume of the camera body. On the other hand, due to the limitations imposed by various camera mechanisms disposed within a camera body, for instance, the patrone chamber, and film take-up and rewinding mechanisms, difficulties are encountered with the provision of a long stroke of a mechanism which advances the light emitting portion to its extended position. Even if these limitations are eliminated, it is still difficult to provide for the aforesaid mechanism a stroke greater in dimension than the height of the contour of the camera.
In other words, it is difficult however in the latter type of retractable advanceable flash device mechanism to provide a sufficiently long stroke for bringing the light emitting portion of the flash device to an extended position which is spaced from the objective lens a distance adequate to avoid the "red-eye" phenomenon.